Sep 16, 2012

Home cure - Papaya Leaf Juice- for dengue death sting

Prithvijit Mitra, TNNSep 12, 2012, 04.11AM IST

KOLKATA: It could be a miracle cure for dengue. And the best part is you can make it at home.
The juice of the humble papaya leaf has been seen to arrest the
destruction of platelets that has been the cause for so many deaths this
dengue season. Ayurveda
researchers have found that enzymes in the papaya leaf can fight a host
of viral infections, not just dengue, and can help regenerate platelets
and white blood cells.

Scores of patients have benefited from the papaya leaf juice, say doctors.
Papaya has always been known to be good for the digestive system. Due
to its rich vitamin and mineral content, it is a health freak's
favourite. But its dengue -fighting properties have only recently been
discovered.
Chymopapin and papin - enzymes in the papaya leaf - help revive platelet count, say experts.
"They have a role in regenerating healthy cells. So, it's perhaps
possible to treat platelet fall with them. We need more research in this
area," said a researcher at the National Institute for Ayurvedic Drug
Development.
The juice has to be prepared from fresh papaya
leaves, say the researchers. Devein the leaves and grind the green,
pulpy part into a paste. You can also use a mixer.
The paste is
very bitter and you would probably have to mix it with fruit juice.
Doctors recommend 20-25 ml (about four to five teaspoons), twice a day,
for at least a week to get the best results.
Several dengue patients have had a remarkable platelet recovery after taking papaya leaf juice, say family members and doctors.
Twenty-one-year-old Abhishek Majumdar, who was diagnosed with dengue
last week, had a platelet count of 84,000 on September 6. He had high
fever, frequent vomiting and was too weak to get out of bed. The same
day, he started drinking the juice on his doctor's advice. In just three
days, his platelet count had crossed 1 lakh. "Not only did his platelet
count rise, he started showing signs of recovery within two days. It
had a miraculous effect," said Abhijit Majumdar, his father.
Thirty-two-year-old Mamta Gupta, another dengue victim, started taking
papaya leaf juice on September 2 when her platelet count had dropped to
70,000. She showed signs of rapid recovery and bounced back in just
three days. "My platelet count has now crossed 450,000," she said on
Tuesday.
Some doctors felt papaya leaf juice could cut out the
need for platelet transfusion even in severe dengue cases. "At least six
of my patients have had a platelet recovery within three days. In some
cases, the revival has been quite dramatic. I have recommended it to all
my dengue patients," said Debashish Basu, preventive medicine
specialist.
Papaya enzymes might help revive white blood cells,
agrees oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay. "Even though we recommend
transfusion in severe cases, the juice could be an option for dengue
patients who don't suffer a drastic fall overnight. Even if it merely
assists the natural process of revival, it's worth consuming it," said
Mukhopadhyay.
Medicine specialist Subrata Maitra feels such
herbal options need to be explored. "It could be a good remedy because
it helps the body's immune system revive the platelet count," said
Maitra.